The lives we touch
by Launa Alvara
Summary: Martin knew that if he ever ended up in hospital, no one would be sitting at his bedside waiting for him to wake up. When the situation arises, he's not surprised to find he isn't wrong...
1. Chapter 1

They say that time slows down and your life flashes before your eyes.

It wasn't much of a life that Martin saw, if he was honest; his attention being somewhat distracted by the car headlights headed straight in his direction. He did the instant mental calculation and realised that it wasn't going to miss him.

And that this was going to hurt. A lot.

- * - * - *-

It was his hearing that came back first, slowly tuning in to the incessant beeps coming from somewhere near his right hand side. Slow rhythmic beeping, like some kind of metronome keeping a beat. It was oddly fascinating in his semi-conscious state and he listened intently as it became louder and louder, other sounds starting to bleed into his consciousness. A jangling noise. A tapping sound. Footsteps. Muted voices.

His mind suddenly realised that it was attached to a body as his hand involuntarily clawed at the surface below his body. Smooth, soft and cool.

He wasn't dead.

The realisation was sudden and his senses started to kick in at the awareness. He could smell ...bleach? The voices hummed louder in the background.

He tried to open his eyes impulsively, feeling tears forming at their edges as the light burned into them. Blinking seemed to ease the pain, though his vision was blurred. As the discomfort subsided he tried his best to focus on the ceiling above.

Becoming aware of the beeping to his side once again, he turned his head slowly to seek out the source. It took all his concentration to focus on the lights he could see, moving across a screen. Heartbeat. His heartbeat, he realised. The beeping was his heart.

He really was alive and in a hospital.

He turned his head back to the ceiling again and then tried to lift his head to look at his body lying prone. A jolt of pure pain shot through his entire body at the movement and an involuntary cry left his lips at the shock as his head fell back onto the pillow.

"Well, hey there."

A soft voice was suddenly close to him and hand on his shoulder made him open his eyes again. For a moment he struggled to focus on the face the voice belonged to. It was a strangers face. It took him a moment to realise that they...she...was still speaking to him.

"...don't move, honey. We'll get you some more pain relief."

A brief squeeze of his hand and the face was gone again.

Martin momentarily reached out for the hand that was no longer there, desperate for someone to make sense of what was happening. Frantic for someone to fill in the strange void in his head.

He closed his eyes again trying to claw at some understanding, but his mind was a confused jumble of things that made no sense. He felt so alone and frightened by what he couldn't remember.

- *-*-*-

Martin had no idea how much time had passed since his rude awakening back into the world. He'd lost all sense of reality.

He was sat propped up in bed now, a flush of pain killing drugs making him feel pleasantly numb, but probably not helping with his timekeeping. The nurse who'd been there when he awoke had returned with a doctor and they had patiently explained that he'd been in an accident in his van. A car had jumped the lights at Fitton crossroad and hit him side on. He was lucky to be alive, they told him. He'd undergone surgery for a broken pelvis and leg, and a head injury had caused swelling in his brain, which had led to his unconscious state. He'd been asleep for over six days.

They had then subjected him to a bevy of tests which hadn't given him time to think about things in any more detail. The doctor had seemed pleased with the results, something of a first for Martin exam-wise. Time, they told him, time would heal the wounds. He'd be ok physically and he'd be able to fly again.

Now he was alone again.

He hadn't thought to ask if his family knew about him or if they'd visited. Truth was that he didn't see them week to week anyway, what with flying and the van job. So unless someone had thought to call them, it was unlikely they'd even have noticed that his life had been hanging in the balance for six days.

And who'd call them?

His mind wandered to his colleagues at MJN. Surely they would have noticed he was missing? He must have had a flight booked? But then again, MJN wasn't exactly a major airline and it was entirely possible they'd had nothing booked this week. They'd assume him to be busy with the van. That's if any of them gave him any thought at all.

The students at the house definitely wouldn't have noticed his absence. That was partly his fault, he supposed. He kept very much to himself when at home. But it wasn't as if he had anything in common with them. The one adult in a house of kids.

And that was it. Those were the sum total of people in his life.

He couldn't help but notice the other beds in intensive care, filled with conscious or unconscious patients, but all with at least one relative or loved one watching anxiously. But there was no girlfriend or wife to fret over him. He'd always known it would be this way, of course. Hadn't imagined it being any other.

He closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the pillow, and as a tear started to fall down his cheek he made no move to wipe it away, allowing himself the luxury of self-pity, just this once.


	2. Chapter 2

He'd barely closed his eyes when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Martin?"

He sighed and opened his eyes, fully expecting to be subjected yet more medical tests or round of questions, and certainly not expecting to see the eyes of his boss looking back at him, worried and red rimmed.

"C...Carolyn?" he asked a little dazed and still trying to focus.

"Well, he knows your name. Must be a good sign."

Martin turned his head suddenly to see Douglas standing to the other side of him. "Douglas?"

"Hey, Skip. Hows your head?"

Finally Martin turned to see Arthur standing at the foot of bed, shifting nervously from foot to foot but with a huge grin on his face.

"F..f..fine." Martin stuttered out, a bit overwhelmed and weirdly unused to the sound of his own voice.

"Of course it is." Douglas answered for him. "Any head that can withstand the wearing of that hat week in and week out has to be harder than average."

Martin blinked at him, still feeling slightly disconnected from reality. "I...did they...did they call you?" He asked, completely perplexed.

"Call us?" Carolyn echoed.

"We've been here all night, Skip." Arthur answered for him.

Martin looked from face to face bewildered. "A...all...all night?"

"Yes. And I must say that it was terribly inconsiderate of Sir to choose the very moment we went for some breakfast to wake up."

Martin stared at Douglas in disbelief. "You...you were here... waiting for me to wake up?"

"Well, of course we were, you stupid boy. Where did you think we'd be?" Carolyn admonished him with a hand still laid on his arm. "Speaking of which..." She changed the subject. "I must go ring your mother. She'll be so relieved to hear the news." Carolyn patted his hand before she left.

"Mum?" Martin felt like every single thing passing his lips was a question as he struggled to take everything in, looking from Douglas to Arthur in search of answers.

"She and Caitlyn did last yesterdays shift." Arthur stated excited. "We have a rota!"

"Rota?" Martin echoed.

"Arthur made a rota." Douglas informed him, before leaning over and whispering close to his ear "It kept him distracted." As Arthur fiddled in his pocket to bring out a tatty piece of paper.

Arthur moved round to the space that Carolyn had vacated and held the paper out for Martin to see. "See? Wendy...um... your mum... and Caitlyn did yesterday and Douglas did the day before. Simon was due to do today..."

"Simon..." Martin echoed faintly.

"Yeah...only he won't need to now. Because you woke up." Arthur beamed at him.

"So...so my family were here too?"

"Of course they were." Douglas answered. "Had to drag your mother away to get some rest. Didn't want her angina playing up."

Martin head felt like it was spinning still and he grabbed at the side of the bed to try and anchor himself. "How did they...how did they know?"

"Know?" Douglas echoed, not quite understanding him.

"About...the a...a...accident." Martin explained, struggling a little to find his words.

"Martin, Fitton isn't exactly the hub of the universe. When there is a major accident at the crossroads it causes chaos for miles around. Local radio ran a traffic update. It wasn't hard to put two and two together."

"We came as soon as we heard, Skip." Arthur joined in. "I...I thought..." He trailed off, looking sad, before brightening. "...but Douglas said you'd be ok."

"I won't pretend you didn't have us worried for a while there, though..."

Martin studied his First Officer a little more closely and noticed the slight red rim around his eyes. Surely Douglas couldn't have been...could he?

Martin didn't have time to ponder the thought any longer as Carolyn returned to the foot of his bed. "Your family is on the way. They shouldn't be long."

"Thank...thank you." Martin found himself answering.

"Can we get you anything, Skip?" Arthur asked enthusiastically. "Tea, coffee, paper, magazine, book...oh...oh...I have Toblerone."

Martin waved him away with a smile. "No...thank you, Arthur. I'm not sure I'm allowed to..."

"Let's not bombard the man, Arthur." Douglas jumped in.

"Oh...did you see your cards?" Arthur remained undeterred.

"Cards?"

"Get Well cards, Skip. You have loads."

"I...I do?" Martin looked around his bed, but saw nothing of any cards, nor any other personal items.

Arthur reached to retrieve something from behind Martin's bed, the one place he couldn't see. "Yeah...look."

Martin went to take the cards that Arthur had suddenly produced, but his hand was too shaky and weak to be able to grip them and they nearly fell from his grasp.

"No worries, Skip. I'll show you." Arthur didn't even blink as he took them back and proceeded to show Martin the cards one by one.

There were more than Martin could get his head around. There were cards from the students he lived with, cards from the nearly the whole of the airfield, a couple from regular van clients, the list went on. What really got him was that most people had taken the time to write something in them; a message of support, a get well wish, a joke. Martin's eyes got blurry with tears as Arthur read them out and he feared for a moment that he wouldn't be able to keep his composure.

After Arthur reached the last card he went to put them back on, what Martin assumed, was a shelf behind the bed.

"No..." Martin croaked, his voice a little hoarse.

Arthur looked at him confused.

"Can you...c..c..can you put them where I can see them?" He managed to say eventually.

Arthur grinned. "Yeah. No problem." And began to arrange them on the cabinet beside Martin's bed.

"Well, we should let you get some rest before your family gets here." Carolyn stated suddenly, before coming around to the side of the bed again and totally unexpectedly reaching down to give Martin a peck on the cheek.

For a moment he was stunned into silence. "I..."

Carolyn stood back again. "And don't do anything so bloody stupid again." She admonished him with a glare, before changing the subject. "Come on, Arthur."

"Rightio, mum." Arthur went to make a move before seeming to remember something. "Oh wait! I forgot." He reached into a bag on the chair next to the bed and pulled out a small teddy bear dressed in a pilots uniform. "I got you this." He handed the bear to Martin. "He reminded me of you, Skip and...well...you're never too old to have a teddy bear. I have loads."

Martin felt another lump in his throat adding to the one that had already taken up residence. "Thank you, Arthur...I...I don't know what to say..."

"That's ok. He can keep you company until you get back to work." Arthur grinned, placing the bear at the foot of the bed before walking to join his mum somewhere outside the room.

Martin stared at the bear as more tears joined the others at the corners of his eyes and began to roll down his cheeks unbidden.

A cough to his right hand side reminded him belatedly that Douglas was still standing there and he quickly wiped at his face.

"Right...well..." Douglas sounded uncomfortable. "I'll be off too. I'd say to let you get some beauty sleep, but I'm sure you've had quite enough of that already. Hasn't made much of a difference."

Martin smiled at the joke, glad that Douglas wasn't pointing out his rather emotional state. "Yes... Well...t..thank you for..." His voice drifted off as he realised he had no idea what to say.

Martin nearly flinched when Douglas placed a hand on his shoulder, looking at him squarely. "We're all glad you're ok, Martin. You gave us quite a scare."

"Sorry." Martin answered automatically.

"Good heavens. It wasn't your fault, Martin. The other car jumped a red light!" Douglas took his hand away self-consiously. "Anyway...what I mean to say is...get well soon. As much as it pains me to admit it, the cockpit just isn't the same without you."

Martin couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. "I...I will." Was all he could manage, afraid that saying anything more would make the dam burst.

"Yes...good." Douglas cleared his throat again. "Well...we'll see you tomorrow." And with that he patted Martin's arm and left the room.

Martin was alone again.

He looked over at the cards on his bedside table and back to the bear that Arthur had left at the bottom of his bed before letting his head fall back against the pillow again. This time the tears came flowing, but he made no effort to stop them, for they weren't tears of pity for himself, they were the tears of overwhelming joy at the realisation that he wasn't alone.

"Martin!"

The sudden shout of a very familiar voice nearly made him jump as his mum rushed towards his bed.

"Oh my...Martin. Thank goodness. I was so worried."

He allowed himself to be enveloped in a hug, soon joined by his sister. "Martin, you absolute idiot...how could you scare us like that?"

And then another familiar voice at the foot of his bed.. "Ah... there you are, chap."

"Hi, Simon." He grinned through the arms of his mum and sister.


End file.
